Edwin l



N6. 623,7". Patented Apr. 25, I899.

FFICEQ EDIVIN L. GODING, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

LAST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,71 1, dated April 25, 1899.

' Application filed November 25, 1896, Serial No. 613,878. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN L. GODING, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lasts; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in lasts.

It consists in dividing the last transversely and hinging the two parts together in such manner that the heel can be turned upward and forward over the fore part sufficiently to allow the insertion of the heeling-last of a heeling-machine without removal of the last from the shoe. So far as I am aware this has not been done before, it having hitherto been necessary to remove the entire last from the shoe while the heel was being placed upon the shoe. The present structure marks a great advance in the art, because it enables the follower to be inserted in the shoe immediately after the beating out and while the stock is in temper and to remain therein continuously until the shoe is finished, while formerly it was necessary to handle the shoe without a last from the time it is beaten out until after the heeling, or if a follower be inserted directly afterit is beaten out it must be removed while the shoe is being heeled to admit the heeling-last and relasted after the shoe is heeled.

My invention is equally adapted to block lasts, so called, and to non-block lasts, one form of which is illustrated in Figure 2. In the drawings herewith accompanying I have illustrated each of said forms. It will be evident, however, that the method of bin gin g the two parts of the last together and the construction of the last to permit the heel part to swing-to a vertical position may be varied indefinitely.

In said drawings, Fig. l is a longitudinal central sectional view of a block last involv ing my improved structure. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central sectional view of a non-block last involving my improved structure; and Fig. 3 is an elevation of a shoe, showing the application of my improved last in connection with the heeling-last.

In said drawings similar letters of reference refer to like parts.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the fore part of a last, B the heel part, and C ahinge or connecting-link pivotally secured to the fore part. From the heel part is removed a portion D, adjacent to the rear end of the fore part, the portion removed extending back far enough to permit the heel to swing forward and overhang the instep portion of the fore part, as seen in Fig. 2.

In block lasts the hinge is made at or near the top of the last, and it is only necessary to remove the block to permit the heel part to swing into position.

The operation of my improved last is as follows: To insert the last in the shoe, the heel part is turned up over the fore part, the fore part inserted in the shoe, and the heel part forced down into position. When the shoe is ready to receive the heel, the heel part of the last is turned upward and forward into the position shown in Fig. 3, the fore part remaining in the shoe. The heeling-last is then inserted and the heel secured to the boot. The heeling-last is then removed and the heel again forced back into its normal position.

The advantages of my improved device are obviating liability of injury to the shoe from handling during the operations intermediate between the beating out to and including the heeling or the necessity of relasting after the operation of heeling. 4

Having thus described my invention and its use, I claim A last divided transversely at a point approximately at the front edge of the heel, a portion of the heel part, adjacent to the line of division, above the hinge-point and extendin g rearwardly a distance equal to the height of the fore part above the hinge-point, being removed andthe two parts hinged together,

whereby the heel part may swing upward and forward sufficiently to admit the heeling-last into the shoe Without removing the fore part of the last therefrom.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 23d day of November, A. D. 1896.

,EDIVIN L. GODING.

Witnesses:

ELGIN (J. VERRILL, NATHAN CLIFFORD. 

